KidNews

A rainy day doesn't have to be a pain

No doubt about it--summer is for spending outside. Shooting hoops with pals, playing in the pool all day, riding bikes until the sun goes down.

There's just one tiny (but very, very wet) problem:

Rain.

Yup, sometimes it rains. In fact, sometimes it pours, and all those deliciously sun-drenched plans disappear behind the clouds.

Not to mention those other enemies of summertime fun: mosquitoes and sunburn. Once in a while, there's no getting around it--you just have to stay inside.

But that doesn't have to be the end of your summer fun. In fact, it could be the beginning. Summer is the perfect time to try out indoor activities that you just don't have time for during the school year. You might find yourself so wrapped up that you choose to stay inside even when the weather clears up!

Here are some books, kits and activities that are sure to keep you busy when the forecast calls for rain. Stock up on a few before the weather turns soggy, so you're all set once the clouds come out.

- Making Memories Photo Decor kits: Round up a few photos and you'll have pretty much everything you need for one of these cool projects. Basically, it's scrapbooking without the scrapbook--the kits feature all kinds of cool ways to display your pictures. We like the photo garland, which includes three little photo frames strung together and decorated with lots of pretty ribbons. A great way to display photos from a recent sleepover ($9.99 to $21.99 at scrapbooking stores, craft stores and some Target stores).

- "FamilyFun Boredom Busters" (Disney, $24.95): This book alone could keep you busy all summer, even if the weather is sunny every day. In fact, it has 356 games, projects and activities, so it will keep you busy all year! Try No. 259, making designer flip-flops; No. 149, baking a rainy-day cake; or No. 238, constructing a paper-bag neighborhood (at bookstores or online booksellers).

- "Books to Check Out for Kids: A Journal" (Chronicle Books, $10.95): Of course, a rainy summer day is the perfect time to catch up on a little reading (the kind you want to do, not the kind a teacher assigns you). If you're a real bibliophile--that means "book lover" --this journal is for you. It has spots to track the books you've read and your thoughts on them; fill-in-the-blank book reviews (think "Mad Libs"); a section for recording books you want to check out; and a reading log to keep count of how much time you're spending with your face buried in a book. We suggest asking a book-loving friend to keep a similar journal, and then trading to see what your friend is reading (at bookstores or www.chroniclekids.com).

- "Clothespin Cuties" (Klutz, $9.95): If your favorite color is pink, we bet you'll love this kit. It has everything you need to make three cute dolls out of wooden clothespins. The best part is, once you learn how to do it, you can head to the craft store or klutz.com to stock up on clothespins, sequins and yarn to make even more cuties (at bookstores, toy stores and www.walmart.com).

- "Rainy Days & Saturdays" by Linda Hetzer (Workman, $11.95): The title says it all--when it starts to sprinkle, this book has you covered. And we hate to say it, but--gasp!--you might even learn something. This book is great because it has projects to suit kids of all ages and all interests. You can make a tabletop terrarium, then whip up a banana smoothie. Or learn some simple magic tricks and prepare a show to dazzle your friends when the weather clears up (at bookstores and online booksellers).

- "Doodles: A Really Giant Coloring and Doodling Book" (Chronicle Books, $18.95): This book has almost 400 pages, so you'd have to be a superdoodler to run out of things to do(odle). The book is filled with unfinished illustrations and prompts to get your doodling muscles warmed up (at bookstores and online booksellers).